Piptochaetium stipoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 22–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; bilobed. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 10–25 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 3–12 cm long; 0.8–3 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.5–1 mm long; pilose; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.33–0.5 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; hyaline; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; hyaline; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 2.5–3 mm long; indurate; dark brown, or black; without keel. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex scabrous; surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 1.2–1.8 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn eccentric; geniculate; 13–18 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus.

FLOWER Lodicules 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; 1.7 mm long. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Pat 1995.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.